Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Phatman
03-28-04, 02:49 PM
I am seriously contemplating buying a touring bike. for a long time, I have been building up this old bianchi that I got from my grandad who won it in a raffle contest back in the day. It was once equipped with mid-range suntour (about equivilent of tiagra or 105 back then). anyway, I have put a new triple crank, new bars, XT rear mech, and I put my old 32 hole bulletproof matrix rims on it from my lemond (I bought a new wheelset for the lemond)
I have learned a lot about bike maintence from this old bianchi, however, I have several problems with it:
-no rack bosses or waterbottle bosses. This was a "sport tourer" from the 1980s. In other words, it was never meant to go touring.
-Its a pinch too small
-The bike was designed for 27'' wheels, and the matrix rims I put on there are 700c. it had long-reach brakes already so that fenders would fit for 27''ers. Btw, these particular brakes SUCK...
-I don't quite trust it...its a bit jury-rigged, becuase year 2003 components don't like 1982 frames...
Anyway, I think I might convert it to a fixe for riding to work this summer. I'll put the old crank back on and see if I can find a 27" fixie wheel. but thats a matter for the fixie forum.
Back to the touring bike. I was thinking that I might like to do some 2-7 day tours, and I think I might like something like a jamis nova or maybe some other light tourer, but I just want a frame...I have a bunch of parts on the bianchi I can swap over.
The real question is one of size. I have a lemond alpe d'huez that I absolutely love. the geometry fits me perfectly. Its a 57 cm, with a 57.5cm top tube and a 120mm flat stem. My bars are about 2-2.5 inches below the seat.
I suspect that with a touring bike, I'd want the bars about level with the seat (that just seems to be the concensus on this particular forum, I've never had the bars level), however, I have never had back trouble on the lemond, even on 50+ mile rides. what should the reach be like in comparison to the lemond? should I get a slightly shorter top tube? a slightly longer one?
I have learned a lot about bike maintence from this old bianchi, however, I have several problems with it:
-no rack bosses or waterbottle bosses. This was a "sport tourer" from the 1980s. In other words, it was never meant to go touring.
-Its a pinch too small
-The bike was designed for 27'' wheels, and the matrix rims I put on there are 700c. it had long-reach brakes already so that fenders would fit for 27''ers. Btw, these particular brakes SUCK...
-I don't quite trust it...its a bit jury-rigged, becuase year 2003 components don't like 1982 frames...
Anyway, I think I might convert it to a fixe for riding to work this summer. I'll put the old crank back on and see if I can find a 27" fixie wheel. but thats a matter for the fixie forum.
Back to the touring bike. I was thinking that I might like to do some 2-7 day tours, and I think I might like something like a jamis nova or maybe some other light tourer, but I just want a frame...I have a bunch of parts on the bianchi I can swap over.
The real question is one of size. I have a lemond alpe d'huez that I absolutely love. the geometry fits me perfectly. Its a 57 cm, with a 57.5cm top tube and a 120mm flat stem. My bars are about 2-2.5 inches below the seat.
I suspect that with a touring bike, I'd want the bars about level with the seat (that just seems to be the concensus on this particular forum, I've never had the bars level), however, I have never had back trouble on the lemond, even on 50+ mile rides. what should the reach be like in comparison to the lemond? should I get a slightly shorter top tube? a slightly longer one?